| Narrative | According to historian Maurice French, in late 1842, squatter Sydenham Russell, and stockmen Ralph Gore and Domville Taylor 'surprised a large group of natives coolly rounding up a mob of cattle in broad daylight between Yandina and Tummaville.' (French, 1989, pp 102-103) According to historian HS Russell, 'A "set to" was the consequence. The blacks numbered about three hundred, and kept admirable order showed unusual courage. Upon firing of a shot, the "ducking" of heads and rush on their assailants were instantaneous, well arranged and executed... and it must have been quite half an hour before the mob, which showed steady line throughout, had retreated step by step, to the timber which skirted the western edge of the plain and only then turned tail' (HS Russell cited in French 1989, p 102). However, it is hard to imagine how three white men could have survived unscathed against such a large number of Aboriginal people. It is more likely that there were more than three well-armed white men in the charge at the camp. Russell admits that his family 'carried double-barrelled guns' (HS Russell cited in French 1989, p 103). It is also likely that the attack was carefully planned. Finally, it is unlikely that there were three hundred Aboriginal people in the 'set to' although it is quite likely there were at least one hundred. The absence of an estimate of the number of Aboriginal people killed also suggests a coverup. |
